Osteospermum plant named `INOSTBLPUR&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Osteospermum  plant named ‘INOSTBLPUR’, characterized by its mounding and semi-upright plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; dense and bushy appearance; early and freely flowering habit; long flowering period; large inflorescences with red purple-colored ray florets and dark purple-colored disc florets; and good summer garden performance.

Botanical designation: Osteospermum ecklonis.

Cultivar denomination: ‘INOSTBLPUR’.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO A RELATED APPLICATION AND STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY INVENTOR/APPLICANT

This application claims priority to a Canadian Plant Breeders' Rights application filed on Apr. 15, 2019, application number 19-9766. There have been no offers for sale anywhere in the world prior to the effective filing date of this Application and no accessibility to one of ordinary skill in the art could have been derived from the printed Plant Breeder's Rights documents.

The Inventor/Applicant asserts that no publications nor advertisements relating to sales, offers for sale or public distribution occurred more than one year prior to the effective filing date of this application. Any information about the claimed plant would have been obtained from a direct or indirect disclosure from the Inventor. Applicant claims a prior art exemption under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1) for disclosure and/or sales prior to the filing date but less than one year prior to the effective filing date.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Osteospermum plant, botanically known as Osteospermum ecklonis and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘INOSTBLPUR’.

The new Osteospermum plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Heidesheim, Germany. The objective of the breeding program is to create compact and bushy Osteospermum plants with numerous large attractive flowers and good summer garden performance.

The new Osteospermum plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in July, 2014 of a proprietary selection of Osteospermum ecklonis identified as code number O 13 201-1 not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Osteospermum ecklonis identified as code number O 13 24-1, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Osteospermum plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination grown in a controlled greenhouse environment in Heidesheim, Germany in April, 2015.

Asexual reproduction of the Osteospermum plant by vegetative tip cuttings in Gensingen, Germany since April, 2015 has shown that the unique features of this new Osteospermum plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Osteospermum have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘INOSTBLPUR’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘INOSTBLPUR’ as a new and distinct Osteospermum plant:

1. Mounding and semi-upright plant habit.

2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.

3. Freely branching habit; dense and bushy appearance.

4. Early and freely flowering habit.

5. Long flowering period.

6. Large inflorescences with red purple-colored ray florets and dark purple-colored disc florets.

7. Good summer garden performance.

Plants of the new Osteospermum differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in the flowering performance as plants of the new Osteospermum have better summer garden performance than plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Osteospermum differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in ray floret color as ray florets of plants of the new Osteospermum are red purple in color whereas ray florets of plants of the male selection are light pink in color.

Plants of the new Osteospermum can be compared to plants of Osteospermum ecklonis ‘Osoutis’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,491. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Osteospermum differ primarily from plants of ‘Osoutis’ in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Osteospermum are more mounding than and not as upright as plants of ‘Osoutis’.

2. Plants of the new Osteospermum have larger inflorescences than plants of ‘Osoutis’.

3. Plants of the new Osteospermum have better summer garden performance than plants of ‘Osoutis’.

Plants of the new Osteospermum can also be compared to plants of Osteospermum ecklonis ‘Osectradepu’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,990. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Osteospermum differ primarily from plants of ‘Osectradepu’ in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Osteospermum are more mounding than and not as upright as plants of ‘Osectradepu’.

2. Plants of the new Osteospermum have larger inflorescences than plants of ‘Osectradepu’.

3. Ray florets of plants of the new Osteospermum are lighter red purple in color than ray florets of plants of ‘Osectradepu’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Osteospermum plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Osteospermum plant.

At the top of the photographic sheet (FIG. 1) is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘INOSTBLPUR’ grown in a container and at the bottom of the photographic sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘INOSTBLPUR’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the summer in 15.25-cm containers in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse in St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada and under cultural practices typical of commercial Osteospermum production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 27° C. and night temperatures averaged 15° C. Plants were pinched when planted and were seven weeks from planting rooted cuttings when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Osteospermum ecklonis ‘INOSTBLPUR’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary selection of Osteospermum             ecklonis identified as code number O 13 201-1, not patented.         -   Male parent.—Proprietary selection of Osteospermum ecklonis             identified as code number O 13 24-1, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About six to eight days at             ambient temperatures ranging from 24° C. to 27° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About seven to nine days at             ambient temperatures ranging from 18° C. to 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About four             weeks at ambient temperatures ranging from 24° C. to 27° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About five             weeks at ambient temperatures ranging from 18° C. to 21° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; typically             white in color, actual color of the roots is dependent on             substrate composition, water quality, fertilizers, substrate             temperature and age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Mounding to semi-upright plant             habit; inflorescences positioned above and beyond the foliar             plane on strong peduncles; moderately vigorous growth habit             and moderate growth rate.         -   Plant height.—About 21.8 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 38.2 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Quantity per plant: Freely branching habit             with about eight primary branches each with about five             secondary branches. Primary branches: Length: About 18.7 cm.             Diameter: About 5 mm. Internode length: About 8 mm.             Secondary branches: Length: About 12.2 cm. Diameter: About             3.8 mm. Internode length: About 1.1 cm. Strength: Strong.             Aspect, primary branches: Erect to semi-upright. Aspect,             secondary branches: About 45° from primary branch axis.             Texture and luster: Glabrous or sparsely pubescent; matte.             Color, developing: Close to 145A. Color, developed: Close to             145B.         -   Leaf description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length:             About 6.8 cm. Width: About 3 cm. Shape: Obovate. Apex:             Broadly acute to rounded. Base: Attenuate. Margin:             Irregularly dentate; indentations shallow to moderate.             Texture and luster, upper surface: Sparsely pubescent;             moderately glossy. Texture and luster, lower surface:             Sparsely pubescent; matte. Venation pattern: Pinnate,             arcuate and reticulate. Color: Developing leaves, upper             surface: Close to 138A. Developing leaves, lower surface:             Lighter than 138A. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface:             Close to N137C; venation, close to 139D. Fully expanded             leaves, lower surface: Close to 138A; venation, close to             139D. Petioles: Length: About 3.5 cm. Diameter: About 6 mm.             Strength: Moderately strong. Texture and luster, upper and             lower surfaces: Sparsely pubescent; matte. Color, upper and             lower surfaces: Close to 139D. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance.—Daisy-type inflorescence form with             oblanceolate-shaped ray florets; inflorescences terminal and             axillary and positioned above and beyond the foliar plane on             strong peduncles; disc and ray florets developing             acropetally on a capitulum; inflorescences face mostly             upright to slightly outwardly.         -   Flowering habit.—Freely flowering habit with about 41             inflorescences developing per plant at one time.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flowering response.—Plants of the new Osteospermum flower             early and continuously from spring until frost; long             flowering period; plants begin flowering about six weeks             after planting.         -   Inflorescence longevity.—Inflorescences of plants of the new             Osteospermum last about one week on the plant;             inflorescences persistent.         -   Inflorescence buds.—Height: About 1.2 cm. Diameter: About             9 mm. Shape: Rounded. Texture and luster: Pubescent; matte.             Color: Close to 138A.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: Large, about 6.7 cm. Depth             (height): About 1.6 cm. Disc diameter: About 1.3 cm.         -   Receptacles.—Diameter: About 1.2 mm. Height: About 5.2 mm.             Shape: Cup-shaped. Color: Close to 138A.         -   Ray florets.—Quantity per inflorescence and arrangement:             About 22 arranged in two whorls. Length: About 3.4 cm.             Width: About 9 mm. Shape: Oblanceolate. Apex: Shallowly             emarginate. Base: Narrowly cuneate. Margin: Entire, not             undulate. Aspect: Mostly horizontal when fully developed and             slightly reflexed. Texture and luster, upper surface:             Smooth, glabrous; velvety; matte. Texture and luster, lower             surface: Longitudinally ridged, glabrous; slightly glossy.             Color: When opening, upper surface: Close to 76C; venation,             close to N81B to N81C. When opening, lower surface: Close to             76A; venation, close to N81A. Fully opened, upper surface:             Close to 72A; venation, close to N79C; color does not change             with development. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to             182D; towards the margins, close to 186C; venation, close to             N79B; color does not change with development.         -   Disc florets.—Quantity per inflorescence and arrangement:             About 65 spirally arranged in about five whorls at the             center of the receptacle. Length: About 6 mm. Diameter,             apex: About 1 mm. Diameter, base: About 1 mm. Shape:             Tubular; apex, five-pointed with acute points. Texture and             luster, inner and outer surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;             semi-glossy. Color, immature: Close to 155A; distally, close             to N92A. Color, mature: Close to 76B; distally, close to             79B.         -   Phyllaries.—Quantity per inflorescence and arrangement:             About 22 arranged in a single whorl. Length: About 8 mm.             Width: About 1.5 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base:             Truncate, fused. Margin: Entire. Texture and luster, upper             and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color, upper             and lower surfaces: Close to 138A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 5.5 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm.             Strength: Moderately strong to strong. Aspect: Terminal             peduncles, upright; axillary peduncles, about 35° to 45°             from vertical. Texture and luster: Sparsely pubescent;             minute; matte. Color: Close to 144B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets             only. Quantity per floret: About five. Filament length:             About 4 mm. Filament color: Close to N155A; streaks, close             to 185C. Anther length: Less than 1 mm. Anther shape:             Lanceolate. Anther color: Close to 202A. Pollen amount:             Abundant. Pollen color: Close to 23A. Gynoecium: Present on             both ray and disc florets. Pistil length: About 6 mm. Stigma             diameter: About 1 mm. Stigma shape: Bi-parted, cleft. Stigma             color: Close to 202A. Style length: About 2 mm to 3 mm.             Style color: Close to N79B to N79C. Ovary color: Close to             157C.         -   Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit development has             not been observed on plants of the new Osteospermum. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Osteospermum     have not been shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Osteospermum plants. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Osteospermum have been     observed to have good summer garden performance and to tolerate     rain, wind and to be suitable for USDA Hardiness Zones 9a to 11b. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Osteospermum plant named ‘INOSTBLPUR’ as illustrated and described. 